Thermal relay



Patented Aug. 14, 1923.

UNITED STATES;

1,464,498 PATENT OFFICE.

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To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, One A. COLBY, a citizen -'of the United States, and a resident of Larimer, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Thermal Relays, of which-the-following is a specification.

My invention relates to relays and particularly to thermal relays.

The object of my invention is to rovide a thermal rela that shall have a p urality .of contact devices which are ada ted to be adi'ustable with respect to each r.

n. practicing my invention, I rovide a main movable member, a single imetallic spring for actuating the same, a heater for the bimetallic spring, a plurality of resilientlymounted contact members on the main movable member and ad'ustable stationary con tactmem-bers. The justaiblemationary con tact members are rovided with scales for facilitating the setting of the same and the resiliently-nvounted contact mem are a) constructed as to permit ell'ective en'gagiement with their respective stationary members, irrespective of the setting of the same.

Figure 1 of the accompanyi drawing is a top plan view of a therma re y embody ing my invention, and Fig. 2 is a view, partiall in section, and partially in elevation, of t e relay. shown in Fig. 1. I

A thermalrel ay 1 comprises, in neral, a helical bimetallic spring 2; a mam movable member 3, contact members 4 disposed thereon, and adjustable stationary contact members 5.

The lower end of the bimetallic spring 2 is comreeted to a supporti yoke 5 that is secured to members 6 whic are supported by posts'l. Theup rend of thespringfil is secured to a spin le 8 which, in turn, is connected to the main movable member 3. The main movable member 3 comprises an annular member 9 that is secured to an insulating member 10 to thus efl'ediv ila lly insulate the same from the spring 2. e contact members 4 are mounted on the member 9 at equi-distant points around the periphery thereof, and are yieldingly held against relative movement in either direction by springs 12. A relatively light spring 13 is provided for electrically connecting the terminal clip 11 on the movable member 3 to a stationary terminal member 11, which may be connected to an electric circuit (not shown). A heater 14 is disposed within the spring 2 and is provided for heating, the same 111 accordance with any predetermined circuit conditions.

The stationary contact members 5 are mounted on lever arms 15 having pivotal points concentric with the ivoail points of the contact members 4. 'I humb screws 16 are provided for adjusting the position of the lever arms 15, and scales 17 are provided for facilitating the setting of the same. The contact members 5 are insulated from the arms 15 and are electrically mnnected to varlous secondary relays (not shown).

The contact members 4 are so resiliently mounted that, irrespective of the relative positions of the various groups of lever arms 15, the contact members 4 will efiectively engage their respective contact members 5. That is, the contact members 4 will turn relatively to each other upon engaging their respective contact members 5 to permit further turnin movement of the main member 8 to thuse ect engagement between the contact members 4 and 5 of other groups.

"The engagement of any movable contact .member 4 with a corresponding relatively stationary contact member 5" establishes a corresponding external control circuit whereby a desired operation is efl'ected of apparatus in such circuit.

It is apparent thatthe operation of suclr apparatus may be efl'ected in any desired sequence b reason of the relative adjudzments permissi le between the movable contact members 4 and the stationary contact members 5. Such operations may also be efiected in accordance with the direction of movement of the movable member 3 and this consequent engagement of the contact members 4 and 5 to establish the several control circuits.

My invention is not'limited to the specific structure illustrated, as it may be various! modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. Athermal relay comprising a movable member, a. bimetallic spring for actuating said movable member, means for heating said spring, a plurality of relatively movable contact mcmbers mounted on said movable member, and adjustable contact memi a plurality bers for co-operating with the relatively movable contact members.

2. A thermal relay comprising a pivotally mounted member, a bimetallic member for actuatin the same, a plurality of relatively mova le contact members mounted thereon and adjustable stationary contact members therefor.

3. A thermal relay comprising a pivotally mounted member, a bimetallic spring for actuating the same, a heating winding for the bimetallic spring,four pivotally mounted contact members mounted at equidistant points on the pivotally-mounted member and of adjustable contact members for co-operating with the pivotally mounted contact members.

4. A thermal relay comprising a ivotally mounted main member, a bimetallic spring for actuating the same, a plurality of relatively-movable contact members pivotally mounted on the main member, adjustable contact members, and means for yieldingly holding the ivotally mounted contact members in predttermined positions relative to the main member.

5. A thermal relay comprising a pivotally mounted main member, a bimetallic spring for actuating the same, a plurality of contact members pivotally mounted at equidistant points on the periphery of the main member, pivotally mounted adjustable contact members for each of the movable contact members, and means for permittin the movable contact members to so sliding y engage the adjustable contact members that efi'ecti've eng ment is obtained, irrespective of the positioning of the adjustable contact members.

6. A thermal relay comprising a base member, a main movable member, a helical bimetallic sgring connected between the base member an the main movable member, a heater disposed within the bimetallic spring, resiliently mounted contact members on the main movable member, adjustable contact members therefor, and scales for the adjustable contact members.

7. A thermal relay comprising a thermally responsive actuating member, a plurality of contact members actuated thereby and a. plurality of adjustable contact members relatively stationary with respect to the actuated contact members and means whereby the adjustable contact members may be arranged to permit engagement thereof by the actuated contact members in any predetermined sequence.

8. A relay comprising a movable member actuated in accordance with external conditions, a plurality of sets of relatively adjustable and stationary contact members, a plurality of contact members artuable by the actuated member to severally engage the corresponding stationary contact members.

9. A relay comprising a movable member actuable in accordance with a condition to be controlled, :1 pluralit of contact members controlled thereby, a p urality of relatively stationary contact members adjustable to permit engagement thereof by the movable contact members in a predetermined sequence and means for maintaining the first engagement effected while a subsequent engagement is being efl'ected.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 17th day of Dec. 1918.

ORA A. COLBY. 

